1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of food service bars for use in restaurants and cafeterias, and in particular to a food service bar that is capable of collapsing into a more compact shape for ease of transport and storage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Food service bars have long been used in restaurants, school cafeterias, and by catering companies when a large amount of food is required to be served to a large amount of people. A food service bar can be made of any strong, durable, easy to clean material such as wood, glass, plastic or plastic composites, or any combination thereof.
Typically, a food service bar comprises a plurality of compartments or trays for holding a variety of foods and a means for keeping those foods at various desired temperatures. Some tray compartments may contain hot water for keeping the food contained within the tray warm or hot, while other trays may have ice in order to keep their foods cold. Additionally, the compartments may take on various shapes to accommodate different shaped food service trays or even other containers such as condiment or salad dressing dispensers.
Also included in nearly every food service bar is a sneeze guard which protects the food contained in the bar from unwanted contact from a user of the food service bar while still allowing the user access to the food. The sneeze guard may be set at a fixed angle or position or alternatively the guard may be adjustable to accommodate different users such as children.
Some bars contain wheels disposed on the bottom which allow the bar to be easily rolled in and out of a desired location, including locations that are outside. This is especially beneficial to caterers as mobility is a key aspect to their business.
Finally, many food service bars have tray rails or other surfaces in which a user may slide their food tray along as they are progressing along the bar and selecting their food. The tray rails are typically located at waist level of an average user and are permanently coupled to the food service bar itself.
While the food service bars containing one or more of the above described features are not without their respective applications, several limitations exist which severely limit their effective use. The sheer size of a food service bar can prove to be a hindrance when attempting to transport the bar from one location to another, particularly when traveling through a standard sized doorway or when loading or unloading the bar from a delivery vehicle. Also, many bars keep food cold by surrounding the food to be chilled with ice cubes which in addition to the ice easily melting when in direct sunlight and providing substandard cooling, presents a health risk as germs and other contaminants can become mixed in with the half-melted ice. Additionally, while many bars contain wheels, they lack the resiliency and structural durability to travel over rough terrain such as dirt paths and grass, or uneven pavement such as cobblestones. Furthermore, many food service bars can only operate as a single stand alone unit and cannot be customized with multiple other units or a plurality of attachments so as to be tailored to a specific situation.
What is needed is a food service system that overcomes the limitations found in the prior art while still meeting the expectation of ease of use and the health standards required of a food service bar.